The Scarlet Shadow
by dragoncymru
Summary: On the planet Pendara, the Scarlet Brotherhood are stealing children in the night. One young girl is plagued with nightmares - nightmares that will change her life forever. Another Season 2 'TARDIS Adventure'.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

The pretty young girl tossed and turned as she slept. Her long, wavy brown hair lay around her on the rough pillow and her pale face was drenched in sweat. The wooden shutters to her window were open allowing the bright light of the full moon to wash over the valley and drench the room in long shadows.

_The fire had consumed almost all the buildings. The main barn was still on fire, the inferno fuelled by the stored hay and silage. The pens and outhouses had thick black smoke that hung in the air whilst tall flames still licked from within the farmhouse._

_As she ran breathlessly into the yard, tears streaming down her already smoke-blackened face, she knew she was too late. "Father! Mother! Where are you? Father?"_

The girl in the bed wore a single red gemstone tied to a leather strap about her neck. Suddenly, the stone in the necklace began to glow faintly.

_She peered into the blackness and her eyes widened as she saw four figures striding towards them along the shoreline. They were creatures of fire and flame - elemental forces in human shape – with terrifying faces of coal-black eyes and jagged mouths. "What are they?" she gasped._

The girl sat up as she drew in a huge breath, her eyelids snapping open to reveal piercing, pale blue eyes.

But still she was not awake.

_Suddenly an explosion of heat sped past her and scorched the wall behind. At the foot of the steps stood a group of fire creatures, their arms outstretched. _

_He grabbed her hand. "Run!"_

_They sprinted back onto the street and across the road, dodging past the abandoned cars and trucks._

_The creatures strode up the steps and onto the pavement. Three of them raised their arms and shot lethal bolts of fire after the two fleeing figures._

_They reached the other side of the road and were about to dodge around the side of a ruined building when the advancing creatures loosed more fireballs._

_She ducked as the bolts passed inches from her head and exploded into the wall of the building in front of them. Bricks and mortar were hurled in all directions and then came an ominous rumble. _

_The wall in front of her began to collapse._

The girl gasped as the trance was broken and she saw the reassuring sight of her bedroom around her rather than the terrifying nightmarish landscape.

But now the dreams faded fast from her waking mind as they always did.

She found she could only remember one word from the dreams; a name………

"Doctor!"

**1.**

Toman Fielder straightened up and winced as a sharp pain shot through his aching back like a dagger. He leant on his spade, taking a moment to stretch and wipe the sweat from his brow. He had a muscular, thick-set frame and his face had that weathered look that betrayed his farming background like a badge. His dark, curly hair also had more than a little grey these last few years.

It had been a long day and the sun would soon start to sink below the Tarell mountains that began to rise a few miles to the north. Still he pondered, he shouldn't complain. This had been the fourth consecutive day of fine weather – almost unheard of at this time of year – and it had given Toman an excellent opportunity to gather in the crops before the usual autumnal rains claimed them.

Toman swung his spade over his shoulder and walked across the half-gathered field of beet crop to his cart. Throwing the tool onto the back of it with the crop, he smacked his hands together and picked up his brown jacket from where he had draped it on the cart. The mumoc tethered at the front gave a soft whinny.

"Oh, so you want some food do you?" muttered Toman good-naturedly. He dug in his jacket pocket and pulled out an apple. "Do you want this?" The mumoc, a llama-like animal with short brown fur and a long trunk for a nose snorted and twitched its ears. Toman ran his hand over the row of short horns that ran down the mumoc's forehead before letting it sniff out the apple, grab the fruit with its trunk and eat it.

Toman surveyed the field around him – where had the boy gone now? "Ari!" he hollered.

A young lad of about eleven jumped guiltily to his feet from where he had been lying amongst the un-harvested part of the field. He too had short, dark hair, but his was straight and almost black, and he wore a brown tunic over heavy, grey, woollen trousers. "Yes father?" he stammered.

Toman glared at his son, rolling his eyes with disapproval. "There you are!" he sighed. "Come on son, time we were heading back home – your mother will only worry."

Ari nodded and started pushing his way through the tall beet crop leaves, his shovel in his hand.

Toman grabbed the reins of the mumoc and jumped up onto the front of the cart. As Ari got closer, Toman pulled the boy up next to him on the cart. Then he shook the reins and the mumoc began to walk forwards.

"Still," grumbled Toman, "as least you've been more helpful than your sister!"

**2.**

The cart trundled along the rough track heading down the valley.

It wasn't long before Toman saw the welcoming curl of smoke from the homestead and then a few seconds later the stone and wooden buildings themselves. His family had built the farm generations ago and lived here ever since. Toman allowed his mind to wander back to the times where he had repaired the barns with his father and grandfather. He had loved those times and smiled to himself – he would have been only eight or nine – younger than Ari was now.

The smile was replaced by a frown as he recognised another wagon that had stopped next to then main house. This was larger than Toman's, covered with a hide frame and pulled by two mumoc beasts.

"Damn Kalwas again," he muttered, as he saw the little pig-like creatures talking to a woman. "What do they want? I hope your mother doesn't buy anything we don't want," he grunted to his son.

"I think they're funny!" said Ari watching the diminutive traders. Kalwas were a native species that traded goods between the outlying farms. Only standing about three feet tall, they resembled grey pigs with two short tusks either side of their mouth and short, coarse fuzzy white hair.

"Don't you get fooled," warned his father. "Most of their stuff is broken or is going to break any day after you buy it. That's if it isn't stolen anyway!"

As Toman's cart approached, the small Kalwas jumped back in their cart and started to pull away – almost as if they could feel the farmer's animosity towards them. But Toman's frown softened as the woman they had been talking to approached them.

He had loved Livia since meeting her on her eighteenth birthday. He had been entranced by her blue eyes and long blonde hair. Now over twenty five years later, she wore her blonde hair up more often than not to hide the streaks of grey, but her eyes were still as blue as ever.

As the cart pulled up next to her, Toman could see his wife was wringing her hands and her brow creased with worry. "What is it woman?" he grumbled. "Those pesky Kalwas bothering us again?"

Livia shook her head. "They came to warn us Toman. The priests have been seen in Stalo."

"Stalo is a few days south of here Livia," Toman grunted, jumping down from the cart and lifting Ari to the ground. "The townsfolk there are no fools either."

"Toman," gasped Livia suddenly as she realised that there was only the two of them on the cart. "Where's Ionay? I thought she was with you?"

Toman's blood went cold. A terrible mental picture of his daughter at the mercy of the robed priests filled his mind. "But she told me you wanted her to do chores on the farm!"

**3.**

Livia grabbed her husbands shoulders, her blue eyes clouded with panic. "Toman…."

"It's alright," Toman started, "I'll go and find her…"

"There she is," piped up Ari with a groan and pointed to the track. "You're in trouble now Ionay!" he shouted gleefully.

Along the rough track that led to the farm walked a slight girl in her late teens. She had long and wavy dark brown hair that she wore in a long ponytail. Her face was pretty, heart-shaped and with bright crystal-blue eyes, a small nose and generous mouth. The girl wore traditional homespun clothes with a red scarf wrapped around her neck.

As soon as she heard Ari's voice, the girl's expression changed from a carefree daydream into focus. She frowned as she recognised the scowl on her father's face and knew he was angry.

"Ionay……."

************

Livia kissed her son on the forehead. "Go on now Ari – time for bed."

But the moonlight that filtered through the shutters of the farmhouse meant nothing to Ari. "Oh mum, but I'm not tired," he protested, stifling a yawn with his hand.

"Don't argue with your mother," said Toman gruffly as he finished the last of his soup next to the kitchen table, "it's late." He glanced at Ionay who was sat opposite him and cutting some bread. "Besides, I want to talk to your sister."

Ionay sighed as Ari giggled mischievously and then ran upstairs. She knew what was coming. Her father had been quiet all through their meal, answering in grunts and single words like a simmering pot. Now he was going to explode.

Livia had sensed it too and came to stand behind her daughter. "Now Toman….." she warned.

"No Livia, she has to hear this," began Toman, throwing his spoon into the now empty bowl.

"Alright," said Ionay holding up her hands. "I get it. It can be dangerous to up the valley on your own, I know! It was just such a lovely day, I just wanted to sit in the sun and watch the mountains."

"Ionay, will you….." interrupted Toman angrily, but Ionay hadn't finished.

"And yes, I know I should have been doing chores or working, but the sunlight father, it was…..magical."

Toman closed his mouth, the anger and worry melting away as he watched the sparkle in his daughter's eyes. His little girl was almost a woman. How could he deny her the dreams? Then he frowned again as he remembered the Kalwas and their warning. "Ionay," he started, a little more calmly, "it's more dangerous than you realise. It's not just the odd tologra. The Scarlet Brotherhood is on the move again!"

**4.**

Ionay gasped and bit her lip. Her parents had frightened her with stories about the gaunt, red-robed priests since she had been a toddler. The tales of the child snatchers of the night had often given her strange and vivid nightmares - nightmares that hadn't always been forgotten in the morning. "I thought they were just a legend," she whispered. "I thought you told me those stories just so I would behave."

Livia placed her hands on Ionay's shoulders. "Toman," she warned, "you're frightening her."

"Then she needs to be frightened," countered Toman. "She's not a little girl any more – she needs to be told the truth!"

"You mean the priests are real; they actually exist?" asked Ionay.

Toman just nodded.

"And they steal children in the night?"

Toman glanced up at his anguished wife then looked back at Ionay. After a brief pause he nodded again.

Ionay paused and looked down, her eyes distant in memory as she fiddled idly with her necklace. "Father, when I was small I played with Cynther Gardner." She paused again, dimly remembering the distress of the adults around her, screaming and shouting. "Did she really die of fever?"

Toman Fielder breathed out slowly, clearly amazed at his daughter's perception. "No Ionay, she didn't."

"No, replied Ionay slowly, "I never thought she died….."

"Those devils took her, her fate would have been far worse. Her poor mother," Livia broke off and hugged Ionay tightly. "We need to be so careful!"

"Those Kalwas said that the priests have been seen around Stalo," explained Toman.

Ionay nodded, understanding her parents' concern. "Alright father," she said, getting up from the table and putting her plate near the sink. "No more trips to the mountains."

Toman met his daughter's eyes and then nodded with a grunt. "But," he added with a smile, "you're right about the chores and tomorrow the chuuks need cleaning out."

Ionay's concerned frown was replaced by a warm smile and walked across, leant down and kissed Toman on the forehead. "Yes father."

*******************

Ionay sat up in bed, instantly awake as she heard her mother's scream.

Shafts of the morning sunlight lit her room as she jumped out, sending a book of pressed flowers crashing to the floor where it had been lying on the bed. She ran to her door. "What is it?" she shouted.

Her mother's pale and tear streaked face appeared at the doorway to Ari's room.

"Ari's gone!"

**5.**

Her father ran up the stairs to comfort an almost hysterical Livia.

"He's been taken," she screamed, "by those devils!"

Toman tried to calm his wife. "Alright, alright – we don't know that."

Ionay squeezed past them and into Ari's small and messy room. She scanned around the room, trying to find any sort of clue and then it came to her. "He's taken his knapsack," she said suddenly. "He can't have been kidnapped by the priests– why would bother to pack?"

Livia caught her breath and looked hopefully at Toman.

Toman's expression changed from worry to anger. "The little fool's planned this all along!"

"You've got to go and fetch him," urged Livia, grabbing at her husband's arm.

"Oh I'll go and get him alright," growled Toman.

Ionay started running back to her room. "I'll get some clothes on and help," she cried over her shoulder.

Toman glanced at Livia who shook her head. "Not a chance – you're staying here young lady!" he shouted.

Ionay reappeared outside her room with some trousers on and belting her woollen tunic over them. "Really? And where are you going to look father? I know where Ari goes."

"I'm telling you you're staying here!"

Ionay shook her head firmly and started down the stairs. When she reached the bottom she looked back up at the worried faces of her parents. "You told me last night I wasn't a little girl any more," she shouted , her face flushed with anger, "so stop treating me like one!"

Toman and Livia heard the slam of the front door as Ionay stormed out of the farmhouse.

"Go after her," urged Livia, her voice cracking.

Toman shook his head. "No, she's right." Livia just looked at him in disbelief. "She is, Livia. She knows where Ari goes and I'll never find him just on my own." He held up his hands to placate his wife as she opened her mouth to argue and then an idea struck him. "I'll go over to the Gardners first. I bet Ari has gone off with young Rok Gardner. If he has, then his father can help me look for them both. Ari needs our help more than Ionay now." He looked down the stairs after his daughter. "She'll calm down," he smiled grudgingly.

"I hope so Toman……"

Toman kissed his wife on the forehead. "Everything will be back to normal by supper."

**6**.

Ionay strode quickly out of the farm and onto the rough track that led up the valley. The blood rushed through her veins and her eyes flashed with anger. Her fists were clenched tightly with all the pent up frustration and imagined arguments that ran through her head as tears streamed down her cheeks.

It took almost half an hour before Ionay let out a deep breath and stopped walking. She tried to relax and flexed her fingers, looking at the landscape around her almost for the first time.

It was a fine morning, with only a light mist in the air. There were a few white clouds floating in a blue sky, although greyer clouds that threatened rain hung in a dark sky over the Tarell Mountains to the north.

For the first time it struck Ionay that, despite her bravado with her father, she hadn't much of an idea where Ari could actually be. She bit her lip and forced herself to think. Her annoying little brother had a few hideouts and dens that he shared with his best friend Rok. Ionay knew a few of their locations – she'd have to start with them.

With renewed determination, Ionay set off into the hills.

***************

The grey clouds overhead had gathered together and blotted out the warm sunshine as Ionay sat on a large rock in despair and toyed irritably with her necklace.

She had walked for hours, trying the location of every one of Ari's favoured dens, but without success. She had lost track of the time, but could tell by he autumnal chill that it was getting late in the afternoon. She was tired and she was hungry. Suddenly, her anger and frustration boiled over.

"Ari!" she shouted up at the sky. "Where are you?"

_Ari and Rok walked through a forest of tall, bare trees - their fallen leaves forming a carpet on the ground. The mist was thicker here and they looked worried, their eyes darting around them. _

_Something was watching them - a pair of dark, green eyes in the mists._

Ionay took a fast, shocked intake of breath as the vision subsided and she was sat back on the rock. But she knew where the two boys were now – the Silver Forests on the north east of the valley. And she knew they were in danger!

Ionay jumped from where she had been sitting on the rock and ran off.


	2. Chapter 2

**7.**

"I knew this was a bad idea!" moaned Rok, fear etched in his green eyes. Rok was a small, slight boy with an unruly mop of auburn hair. He kicked petulantly at the red and golden leaves beneath his feet

"Oh don't be daft," countered Ari with more confidence than he felt. "You're just a chuuk!"

"I want to go back home!"

"Oh alright then," agreed Ari with secret relief, "just for you……"

A sudden, throaty roar echoed through the mist-enshrouded forest.

Rok looked all around them, his eyes wide. "What was that?"

"I don't know – just run!"

The two boys pelted through the forest as something began crashing behind them. The beast gave another roar – it was getting closer!

Suddenly a figure loomed out of the mists in front of the two boys and both gave an involuntary cry of fear.

"Ari, I'm going to kill you!"

It was Ionay, a furious expression on her face.

"You might not get the chance," said her brother quickly, "listen!"

Ionay heard the heavy approach of the creature and she knew instantly it was what she had felt earlier. The thing gave another roar and Ionay saw its outline appear out of the mists behind the two boys.

It was a huge dragon-like creature, covered in green and red scales that walked like a lizard.

"It's a tologra," shouted Ionay and grabbed each boy by the hand. "Now run!"

The tologra was a fearsome carnivore that lived in the caves high up on the sides of the valley. It rarely ventured close enough to the farms to steal any livestock, and often hibernated for long stretches. Toman had often warned Ionay about them however and had instilled stories of how the stripped bones of foolish travellers had been found having fallen prey to hungry tologra.

The creature roared again showing a long whip-like tongue as it surged forwards.

Ionay and her two charges sprinted through the forests, their lungs bursting at the exertion.

But the tologra, with its huge strides was getting closer.

With a cry, Rok suddenly slipped on a patch of wet leaves and fell.

Ionay hauled him to his feet, but they had lost precious seconds. Without thinking, Ionay pushed the two boys behind her and turned to face the enormous beast, picking up a fallen wooden branch as a staff.

The tologra bore down on them with a bellow, its huge mouth gaping open revealing long, pointed fangs.

**8.**

The flash of crimson light appeared from nowhere, dissipating the clinging mists as it struck the tologra on the neck. The beast gave a bellow of pain and altered its charge, missing Ionay and the two boys by mere feet as it thundered past.

Ionay fell backwards to avoid being trampled and gathered the two boys as they crouched together on the wet grass.

There came another flash of light and the tologra roared again in pain as it was hit on the flank.

Ionay tried desperately to see where the light emanated from and what caused it, but the mists and the huge tologra obscured her vision.

Another flash, and this time the tologra's roar was higher in pitch – it had been hurt.

With a final bellow of rage and pain, the creature ran off into the mists. After a few seconds, the sound of its heavy, earth-shaking claws subsided and there was an eerie silence in the forest.

Swallowing her fear at encountering whatever it was that had defeated the tologra, Ionay got to her feet. She gestured for Ari and Rok to stay where they were and walked slowly towards where she thought the flashes of light had originated.

What she saw stole her breath and her heart hammered in her chest.

Stepping out from the mists were three figures, each dressed in long scarlet robes that obscured their faces. Each carried a wooden staff with a crimson crystal entwined in the ornately carved tip. One of the figures stepped forwards and raised an arm to point towards her.

"Ionay." It was a man's voice with a deep, rich tone.

Ionay's blood froze. How could they know her name? She tensed her muscles ready to run but the sniffing of the two boys from behind her made her realise that they probably couldn't outrun them anyway. Besides, the priests had just fought off a fully grown tologra. What could she do against them?

Ionay stepped forwards, her head held high in an effort to appear defiant. "What do you want of me?" she asked, hoping that they didn't detect the tremor in her voice.

The three figures glided like ghosts in the mist towards her, stopping only a few feet away.

Even though the light was now fading quickly in the forest, now that they were closer Ionay could just make out pale and gaunt faces beneath the long, scarlet hoods.

"We have come for you."

**9**.

Ionay gasped at the priest's words. "What do you mean?" she stammered.

"Do not resist - you will come with us."

Ionay took a step backwards, shaking her head fearfully. All the childhood stories that her parents had told her about the priests were true – they stole children. "I'm not going anywhere with you!" She turned back to Ari and Rok, all logical thought melted by superstitious dread. "Run!" she shouted.

Ionay turned and fled, scooping up the two boys as she passed them

The three priests instantly raised their staffs and as the crystals glowed, the air in front of Ionay rippled like water bathed in an eerie, sparkling red light.

To her horror, she found she couldn't move an inch through the barrier in front of her. Both Ari and Rok whimpered with naked terror.

"You cannot escape us – now do as we command!"

Ionay closed her eyes with frustration. Swallowing her fear so she wouldn't upset the two boys further, she turned back to the priests. "Why should I?" she challenged. "Who are you anyway?"

The priests lowered their staffs and the rippling light in the air faded. One of the priests took a few steps towards her. "We are the Scarlet Brotherhood." After a pause, he threw back the hood that covered his face. To Ionay's surprise, what lay beneath was bizarrely normal. Although pale, the man was not old – perhaps in his mid to late thirties – with a long angular face, sandy brown hair and large brown eyes.

"I am Owain. We mean you no harm Ionay, but you must do as we say or others will die."

"What do you mean?" A snuffle from Ari next to her made Ionay gather the two boys closer. "Are you threatening my brother?"

"No I am not," snapped Owain, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Those two are irrelevant to us."

"Well they're not irrelevant to me!"

Another one of the priests stepped forwards, his face still hooded. He raised his staff. "Do not force us to make you obey child," he hissed. "You have seen what we can do!"

Ionay's blue eyes flashed with a sudden anger and to her surprise Owain actually took a step backwards. Then he pushed the other priests' staff away. "We have no time for this. Ionay listen to me – you cannot escape your destiny."

"My destiny…….?" whispered Ionay, intrigued despite her fears and concerns.

"Ionay," moaned Ari, "please, I want to go home."

Ionay glanced down at her brother and then looked back to Owain and the other two priests. "Alright, we'll take these two back home to my parents and then you can talk to them."

Ionay saw the priests exchange an irritated look before Owain nodded reluctantly. "Then we must make haste, time is our enemy now. Come."

*****************

Livia stared out into the darkness from her kitchen window. Night had fallen and there was still no word. She tried to drink from a glass of water but her hand was shaking too much. The glass fell to the stone floor and shattered into a thousand fragments.

She turned as the door to the farmhouse opened and Toman entered carrying a lantern. Livia's hopes were raised and then dashed in an instant as Toman shook his head to her unspoken question.

"I'm going back out," he said thickly and his wife just nodded as he embraced her.

Then through the window, Toman noticed something that looked like several burning torches outside the farmhouse. The dancing fires were coming towards them.

**10.**

Ionay saw the smoke and flames from almost half a mile away and knew instantly what they meant. With a cry that came from her soul, she let go of an uncomprehending Ari and broke into a desperate sprint.

The fire had consumed almost all the buildings. The main barn was still on fire, the inferno fuelled by the stored hay and silage. The pens and outhouses had thick black smoke that hung in the air and the carcass of a dead mumoc hung over the low gate where it had been trapped in the stable

Tall flames still licked from within the farmhouse.

As Ionay ran breathlessly into the yard, tears streaming down her already smoke-blackened face, she knew she was too late. "Father! Mother! Where are you? Father?" she screamed - her voice hoarse as she looked frantically for any signs of life or movement.

Then the smell hit her - the terrible, sickening smell of roasted flesh.

Through the mist of smoke and tears she thought she saw something that lay twisted and broken in the doorway of the farmhouse.

"Oh, no," she moaned, "no, no, no……."

It was the charred remains of two bodies, still entwined as one.

Ionay fell to the ground and retched uncontrollably. The sobs wracked her body as she howled, her heart aching so much she thought it would truly burst.

As the others approached the farm, Owain could not contain the struggling Ari any longer. The boy ran towards his sister and the remains of his childhood with a terrible cry.

The other two priests held a crying Rok and maintained a silent distance, letting sister and brother attempt to find comfort and solace in each other's arms.

"We must go," said Owain after only a few scant minutes.

Ionay glared up at him and a terrible storm raged in her piercing blue eyes. "Who did this?" she shouted. "Was it you?" She got to her feet and advanced towards him, all fear of the priests dispersed by her rage and sorrow.

Owain shook his head. "No, but we must go Ionay…….."

"Tell me who did this!"

"You must come with us….."

"TELL ME!"

The blue energy rippled outwards from Ionay like a tidal wave of terrifying force, blasting apart wood from already ruined buildings and hurling everyone around her senseless to the ground.

A fraction of a second later, surprised and shocked by what she had done, and overcome with the enormity of her grief, Ionay's eyelids fluttered. Her eyes rolled up in her head and she collapsed with a groan.

**11.**

As Ionay slowly regained consciousness, the first thing she realised was that she was incredibly cold.

The second thing was that she was moving.

Ionay opened her eyes to find that a dark woollen cloak had been draped over her as she sat on the floor of what appeared to be a large metal barrel. She looked upwards to see the stars in the night sky and then put her hand out on the floor as the barrel tilted again.

As her senses returned to her, she saw the figures of the three priests standing in the barrel next to her. All had replaced the hood over their heads and their crimson robes billowed in the night air.

Ioany realised with a sudden shock that she couldn't see Ari or Rok and then the memory of the burnt farm returned to her like a cold knife in the pit of her stomach. She struggled to her feet.

"What have you done?" The words died in her throat as she realised that the 'barrel' was only waist high and that they were flying through the night air, the tops of the trees at least thirty feet below them.

Owain turned to face her and smiled briefly. "You are perfectly safe Ionay."

Ionay struggled to comprehend what was happening as the wind whipped at her long hair. "But we're flying!" she shouted.

"That's right."

Ionay put her hand to her temple, feeling the anger start to return. "But what have you done to my brother?"

"The children have no place with us, not yet" said Owain slowly. "We returned them to the other boy's farm."

"Their minds have been wiped," added one of the other priests, "so they will remember little of what happened."

"You did what?" Ionay gasped.

"An act of mercy surely?" replied the priest and then turned away.

Ionay clenched one of her fists, hanging onto the flying transport with the other. "You have no right to do this! Take me back – now!"

Owain just put his hand on her shoulder. "It is too late for that Ionay," he said with surprising gentleness. "Besides, don't you want to avenge your parents?"

Ioany opened her mouth to argue further but suddenly realised how exhausted she was. She felt totally drained. Her muscles ached and her head spun with the terrible events of the day. Her shoulders sagged and instead she just nodded to Owain. "Where are we going?" she whispered.

"Home," he replied with a smile and then pointed in front of them. "Look!"

The platform soared over the top of the Tarell Mountains and on the other side Ionay saw an enormous black lake as smooth as glass. Perched on one of the high cliffs atop the mountains and looming over the lake was a vast castle. Turrets and towers soared into the sky with windows that sparkled in the starry sky.

"Behold Ionay – the Academy of Scarlet!"

**12.**

The attack came from nowhere.

One moment Ionay was gazing down at the majestic castle as the platform approached it.

A split second later there was a brief warning cry from one of the priests before a fireball hit the base of the platform with a terrifying force. The heat of the fireball, even through the metal, was intense and stole Ionay's breath in an instant.

The platform suddenly lurched to one side at the impact and Ionay gave a desperate scream as she felt herself toppling head first over the edge. Her eyes widened with terror as she saw the shadowy landscape laid beneath her.

Then a hand grabbed her arm and stopped her fall, swinging her back to the edge of the platform.

Ionay collided heavily with the platform and cried out in pain. Her free arm desperately tried to find something to hold onto as her legs dangled freely beneath her. Then she saw Owain's face over the edge of the platform. He was the one who had grabbed her and held tightly onto her arm.

"Hold on," he shouted, "we're going down!"

Ionay managed to get a grip on part of the platform as Owain hauled her upwards.

She risked a quick peek down and wished she hadn't. Her stomach flew into her mouth as the platform, clearly damaged by the fireball, was listing downwards in an uncontrollable circle.

The lake got closer and closer, but the platform was travelling so fast that they would soon pass over it and hurtle into the base of the mountains the other side.

"We have to jump!" screamed Ionay. "Now – before it's too late!"

Owain nodded. "She's right," he shouted, turning to the other two priests. But both lay unmoving on the floor of the platform, their crimson robes still blackened and charred in the heat of the fiery attack.

Owain turned back to Ionay and grabbed her hand.

She in turn squeezed his hand tightly and then a moment later they both jumped from the careering platform and into the dark lake below.

Ionay hit the surface of the lake with such a force that she thought she had broken her ribs. She managed to hold her breath as she plummeted under the water into a world of cold, muffled darkness. Her eardrums popped with the pressure before she burst back onto the surface of the lake.

Ionay took a deep lungful of wonderful air, throwing her sopping wet hair backwards and grinned despite herself.

She had survived!

**13**.

The falling platform collided against the base of the mountains on the far side of the lake with terrifying speed. Ionay watched as the crumpled, twisted remains of the platform fell slowly down the slope and swallowed nervously. She had escaped death by the blink of an eye.

There was a sudden thrashing in the water next to her and for one terrible moment Ionay thought she had escaped one fate only to become a meal for a marine predator. But she relaxed as a familiar sandy haired head bobbed to the surface.

Owain coughed and spluttered, and had a face as dark as thunder. "Are you alright?" he asked her.

Ionay nodded and started to say something but found she couldn't due to the chattering of her teeth and she realised with a start that the water was bitterly cold.

Owain noticed and nodded. "We have to get out of here before we freeze to death. Get rid of your cloak before it pulls you down and swim to shore." He twisted in the water and threw off his scarlet robes to reveal a simple brown tunic. Then he started towards the western shore of the lake with strong strokes.

Ionay undid the clasp around her neck and her dark woollen cloak, now sodden with water, sank slowly beneath the dark lake. But Owain was right, and now free of the cloak's heaviness, she managed to get her legs up and followed him as quickly as she could.

The swim only lasted for a few minutes before they reached the shore of the lake but to Ionay it felt like the lake had grown ten times larger. As Owain pulled her onto the shore her muscles in her arms and legs were like lead weights felt and her lungs burned with the exertion.

Ionay lay on the dark muddy shore of the lake, dripping wet and panting with total exhaustion.

"We have to get moving," said Owain, looking warily around them.

"I can't," coughed Ionay. "I can't move."

"You've got to."

To her surprise, Owain hauled Ionay roughly to her feet. "Just let me rest," she moaned.

"If we stay here we're dead – look!" Owain pointed into the darkness. "That's what attacked us – and now they're coming to finish it!"

Ionay peered into the blackness and her eyes widened as she saw four figures striding towards them along the shoreline. They were creatures of fire and flame - elemental forces in human shape – with terrifying faces of coal-black eyes and jagged mouths. "What are they?" she gasped.

"They are the Vola!"


	3. Chapter 3

**14.**

Ionay scrambled backwards instinctively as the Vola advanced. They were less than ten yards away. All the memories of exhaustion were now forgotten as the adrenalin started to course through her veins. She looked around her in desperation. "Which way?"

Owain pointed into the night. "We'll try around the edge of the lake and pick up the track that leads to the Academy." He took her hand. "Come on."

The two fugitives sprinted from the lake and away from the terrifying creatures.

Ionay gripped tightly to Owain's hand as she heard one of the Vola behind her scream in rage.

Suddenly a bolt of fire roared past her shoulder and struck a rock in front of her. The rock exploded into hundreds of fragments that flew through the air in all directions.

Ionay threw up a hand to protect her face as she was hit by a shower of sharp stones. Luckily, she avoided any serious injury but besides her Owain gave a cry of pain and crashed to the ground, pulling Ionay with him. Ionay struggled to her feet and then looked down at Owain. Blood gushed from his temple where he had been hit by a large stone and his eyes rolled in a daze.

"Owain," she screamed, "you've got to keep running!"

She glanced up and her blood went cold Not only were there four Vola following them, another two had now appeared ahead. They were trapped.

Ionay struggled with Owain, trying to drag him to his feet, but he was too heavy.

But then something suddenly clicked inside her head. Her frustration and fear were replaced with boiling anger as a terrible realisation swept over her. The breath stuck in her throat.

These were the creatures that had killed her parents and destroyed her home; her life.

Ionay dropped Owain and stood her ground as the creatures advanced on her.

Her head lowered, she clenched her fists as her chest rose and fell heavily – panting with raw aggression. Ionay's heart hammered, the blood rushing in her ears. She closed her eyes and then a heartbeat later, opened them and lifted her head.

Her eyes suddenly glowed with an incandescent, brilliant blue.

A circle of incandescent energy that rippled outwards suddenly appeared around Ionay as it had done previously at the ruined farm.

The attacking Vola roared with fury as they were staggered backwards from the shield of energy. They raised their arms and a volley of fiery bolts was loosed. All exploded harmlessly on the shield that now sparked and glowed with a myriad of colour.

**15.**

Ionay watched with her heart in her mouth as the Vola continued their attack on the strange shield of energy that she had somehow created. But on each attack, Ionay felt a shooting pain behind her eyes and as the attacks continued the pain was getting worse.

One Vola held up both arms and shot two fireballs at her with a rage-filled scream. They exploded off the energy shield in a shower of sparks and flame but the pain in Ionay's head became so intense that she cried out and fell to her knees.

She knew she couldn't maintain the energy shield for much longer – it was only a matter of time before the pain became too great and she would succumb.

Ionay realised with a cold sinking feeling, that although she had delayed them, the end was inevitable.

More fire bolts struck the shield and Ionay screamed in pain, closing her eyes and clutching at her head that throbbed with unbearable agony.

The blue energy shield rippled, faded and then vanished.

With a roar of triumph, the Vola advanced on the now helpless Ionay.

Suddenly there was the hum of something that flew low overhead.

Ionay looked up and to her relief saw two of the floating platforms that the priests had used to bring her here. As the platforms turned in the night sky, she could just make out several robed figures standing on each platform. Owain's people must've sent reinforcements from the castle!

As she watched, a beam of red light lanced downwards from one of the platforms and struck one of the Vola creatures. It blazed with a brilliant white light for a moment and then with a scream was vaporised into nothing. Another beam of light shot fro the other platform and a second Vola was instantly destroyed.

Three of the four remaining Vola turned from their attack on Ionay to confront their new aerial opponents. They pointed their flaming arms up at the night sky, shooting fireballs up at the swooping platforms.

But the creatures were too slow this time, and three more beams of red light struck and killed all of them within seconds as the platforms dived about for another pass.

The fourth Vola however ignored the attacking platforms and advanced on Ionay.

Ionay opened her tired eyes and watched the creature coming towards her. There was nothing more she could do.

She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the end.

**16.**

But the moment never came.

Instead the Vola had stopped moving and instead seemed to be shaking on the spot.

Ionay glanced down at Owain and gasped. He had opened his eyes and held out his hand with his palm towards the creature. His teeth were clenched with the exertion, and sweat poured from his brow, but he was keeping the Vola at bay using the same strange powers that she had somehow used.

"That's it," she urged. "You can do it!"

The humming of the floating platforms had ceased and Ionay glanced to one side to see several figures, all dressed in scarlet robes and carrying long staffs, gliding towards them.

Owain gasped and his arm dropped, his head lolling to one side.

But the scarlet priests had now raised their staffs and the crystals in their tips blazed with a red light.

The Vola roared once then was consumed in a hurricane of energy that lifted it from the ground and sent it crashing into the dark lake. The water seethed and boiled as the fiery creature sank beneath the surface and was gone.

The priests hurried towards Ionay and Owain, gathering protectively around them.

Ionay watched in a daze as Owain was gently lifted to his feet by four of the priests and carried away to one of the platforms that had landed nearby. Not a word was spoken by the gaunt, hooded figures and the new silence was almost deafening to Ionay. She clutched her aching head, closing her eyes wearily. The death and violence filled her mind and she began to shake and sob uncontrollably.

"Ionay, so it is you!" The voice was female.

Ionay looked up and blinked back the tears. One of the scarlet priests was kneeling next to her.

"Don't you recognise me?" The priest pushed back the hood that covered her face and smiled at Ionay

Ionay opened her mouth to speak but she couldn't form any words.

"It's alright. I was the same." The girl was no more than seventeen with auburn hair and just the last trace of freckles.

Ionay mind reeled. "Cynther!" she stammered. "But you………..you…….."

"I didn't die Ionay," said Cynther gently. "The Brotherhood found me; trained me."

Ionay held her head in her hands and wailed. "I don't understand what's happening to me!"

"I know." Cynther helped Ionay slowly to her feet. "But you will very soon. Come on, I'll take you back to the Academy. You'll be safe there."

Supported by her childhood friend as if she were an infant, Ionay staggered towards the nearest platform. After a few moments, it rose into the sky with a hum and glided towards the vast, dark castle that nestled on the side of the mountain.

**17.**

The platforms sailed over the great stone walls of the castle and gently came to land in a huge paved courtyard surrounded by towers and turrets.

Ionay nervously stared up at the night sky as Cynther helped her step from the platform. The castle seemed full of shadows, and childhood fears of the scarlet brotherhood suddenly resurfaced in her mind.

Four of the priests carried the prone body of Owain off the platform and across the courtyard. They opened a door to a tower, where flickering light spilled out until they disappeared inside, closing it behind them.

"Will he be alright?" asked Ionay quietly.

"We have physicians here that are very skilled Ionay," replied Cynther, "Owain will recover quickly."

Ionay nodded almost absent-mindedly as Cynther led her in the other direction. They reached an impressive set of double doors on a large circular tower that seemed to reach up into the heavens. At either side of the doors stood a hooded priest, each holding a staff like a ceremonial pike. As Cynther and Ionay approached, the priests took a step backwards and the large doors swung open in front of them.

Her strength and willpower recovering a little, and with her curiosity overriding any trepidation or fear she might have, Ionay stepped boldly into the chamber beyond.

The chamber was circular and lit by dozens and dozens of candles that burnt slowly in tall stands– their gentle flickering creating a warm, inviting ambience. The soft, yellow light illuminated what was clearly a meeting or council chamber of some kind. A long wooden table inlaid with silvery carvings dominated the room and around it stood twelve fine wooden chairs.

Cynther crossed the chamber without a word and paused at the bottom of a circular flight of stone steps that led upwards into the tower. "This way," she said, glancing back at an awed Ionay.

Ionay followed her friend up the steps, going round and round, until Cynther stopped and stood to one side.

They had reached another room, also circular, but only thirty feet or so in diameter. It was clearly a study or library of some kind with books on shelves that lined almost all of the walls. A small fire burnt in a grate on one wall and hung above the fire was a painting of a huge bronze-metal city in a giant glass dome. In the centre of the room was a low circular table with two comfortable leather armchairs either side of it.

Sitting in one of the armchairs was a man who smiled as Ionay entered.

"Welcome Ionay. I am Gavas."

**18.**

Gavas was dressed in the familiar scarlet robes of the brotherhood, although around his neck he wore a silver chain that held a medallion of red crystals. His hood was down revealing a completely bald man in his early sixties. His eyes were a sparkling blue, old with wisdom and yet filled with a youthful exuberance and mischief. The smile on his face also had more than just a hint of impish humour in it.

He gestured with long spindly fingers to the other armchair. "I think you had better sit down after all your adventures my dear." Gavas had a light, almost musical voice. "What a night you've had."

As Ionay sat obediently next to Gavas, he glanced up at Cynther. "Thank you Cynther. Perhaps you had best inform our other guest that we are now complete?"

Cynther nodded her head reverently. "Yes Master Gavas."

With a last reassuring smile at Ionay, Cynther turned and went back down the stone steps.

"Perhaps you'd like a cup of tea?" Gavas asked. He picked up a pot from the table and poured a hot liquid into a cup then handed it to a mystified Ionay.

"Tea?" she asked warily, sniffing the cup.

"An infusion of herbs, my dear." Gavas poured himself a cup. "Most relaxing," he smiled. Then he frowned. "I'm forgetting the correct rituals - would you like some milk or honey with it?"

Ionay opened her mouth and just shrugged with bewilderment. "I don't know," she finally managed.

Gavas smiled again and poured some milk from a small jug into Ionay's cup. "Try some milk then."

She took a hesitant sip and found the mixture quite pleasant, so took another. The old priest was right, it was relaxing. The steam from the tea curled up under her nose and Ionay released a long breath.

Gavas watched her carefully, not saying anything but seemingly content to let her adjust and make some sense of this strange new world she had found herself thrust into.

"You're their leader?" Ionay asked after a full minute.

Gavas nodded and smiled, and to Ionay it was almost a sad smile. "I do have that responsibility."

There was more silence but then Ionay heard the sound of footsteps climbing the stairs.

"Ah, our other visitor," said Gavas with a cackle.

Ionay turned to see a man had entered the chamber. He was young and quite thin with spiky dark hair and a long face. His eyes were like Gavas, and shone with both wisdom and youth. Rather than a red robe like the other priests, this man wore a brown striped jacket and trousers.

"Hello," said the newcomer, stretching out his hand. "I'm the Doctor."

**19.**

Ionay regarded the strange young man warily but allowed him to shake her hand. "I'm Ionay," she replied automatically.

"Oh I know," said the Doctor with a grin.

"Do you? Why should you?" Ionay could feel her frustration and anger welling up inside her again. "Why does everyone know what's happening except me?"

The Doctor watched her face for a moment without saying anything, his face unreadable. Then he spotted the pot of tea on the table. "Ooh, tea!"

Gavas smiled, putting some milk into a cup and poured the hot brew from the pot. "Some honey Doctor?"

"Oh yes. Nothing like it!"

Ionay watched the two men and bit her lip, her hands clenched onto the arms of her chair. "Tell me what's going on!"

The Doctor paused as he was about to take a sip of tea and instead put his cup down on the table. The smile on his face faltered. He glanced at Gavas who said nothing, but just raised an eyebrow.

"I think you deserve at least that Ionay." The Doctor paused. "And I am truly sorry about your parents."

Ionay nodded slowly. "Thank you," she whispered.

"But," continued the Doctor, "they'll only be the first unless we can stop it."

Ionay struggled to understand. "Stop it? You mean those fire creatures? The Vola?"

The Doctor glanced at Gavas again, but the old priest just sipped at his tea as if oblivious. The Doctor took a breath. "No, they are just the minions of something that is far, far more dangerous."

"What?"

The Doctor paused again. "Astaroth."

Ionay had never heard of a name like that before. "What is Astaroth?"

Before the Doctor could answer, Gavas cleared his throat and leant forwards. "Perhaps that is an explanation that is better left for later Ionay. Perhaps," the priest looked at her closely, "you would like to know why you are here?"

Ionay looked between the two men and nodded.

Gavas smiled. "That pendant around your neck - where did you get it?"

Ionay jumped a little. She had been playing idly with the pendant as she always had. "My grandmother gave it to me," she said quietly.

Gavas shook his head. "No," he said gently, "we did."

"What do you mean?" stammered Ionay. "I remember my grandmother giving it to me when I was small."

"My apologies my dear - a little deception on our part. A simple mind illusion, nothing more."

"Why did you give it to me?"

"We have seeded dozens of the artron crystals over the years - all to different, special children. Sometimes as a pendant, sometimes as a buckle or a ring. Your friend Cynther had one as a ring I believe. They act as a focus. They let us know when your powers have developed; let us know when you are ready"

Ionay's mind started to reel again. "Ready for what?"

The Doctor's face was full of concern. "For battle."

**20.**

Ionay looked at the Doctor, her blue eyes wide. "What battle?"

The Doctor looked at Gavas and neither spoke. The little room was silent save for the crackling of the fire in the grate. The Doctor started to say something, but he was interrupted by the sudden tolling of a great bell from somewhere else in the castle.

The sound of the bell seemed to galvanise the Doctor and Gavas into action as they exchanged a worried look. The Doctor jumped to his feet. "Already?"

"It seems we have less time than we thought," said Gavas gravely as he pulled himself from his chair. He picked up his ornate staff that was leaning against the fireplace and then turned back to Ionay. "Come child, I'm afraid you will have to learn more later."

Ionay stood as well. "Why, what does that bell mean?"

The Doctor took her hand and squeezed it. "I'll show you, come on." He pulled a puzzled Ionay with him as he dashed down the steps from the tower. Gavas followed them, his staff tapping on the stone as he went.

They reached the bottom of the steps and entered the large meeting hall. This time the hall was far from empty and each place around the long wooden table was filled by a priest dressed in long scarlet robes. Ionay noticed both Cynther and Owain, a white bandaged patch on his temple, at the table.

"The time for debate and preparation is over my brothers," said Gavas. "We must go to the portal."

The Doctor didn't even stop, but led Ionay through the chamber and up some stone steps that led to a set of double doors. Inscribed in the wood on the doors was a huge circle, half on each door, and inside the circle a swirling pattern of silver. He dropped Ionay's hand and pushed at the double doors before striding into the chamber beyond.

Ionay saw that it was dark save burning torches that ran in two lines towards the far end of the room. Then she gasped as she saw what they led to.

It was a huge circular structure that looked like a mirror. But instead of a refection, inside it was a rippling and swirling vortex of colour and light. It was hypnotic to look at and seemed to draw her in.

"What is it?" she whispered, her eyes wide in awe.

The Doctor watched as the priests filed solemnly into the chamber before answering. "It's a Schism Portal - a gap in the fabric of reality to the vortex beyond. This is just a minor one - one destination only!"

Gavas came to stand next to the Doctor. "And it seems that we must now use it my friend."

The Doctor nodded. "I'll go first – you follow." He reached out his arm towards Ionay. "Come with me?"

Ionay stared at the Portal and hesitated, her eyes full of fear.

"Please Ionay. We need you – I need you!"

Ionay gazed into the Doctor's eyes and for the first time saw something behind them – a mixture of bravery, compassion and sadness. She knew instinctively that she could trust him. She took his hand and smiled.

The Doctor grinned in return and squeezed her hand. "Ready?"

Ionay nodded and the Doctor winked at her before looking towards Gavas.

"The Scarlet Brotherhood is once again ready to fight for the Son of Gallifrey!" said the priest.

The Doctor turned towards the Portal. "Then here we go!"

The Doctor and Ionay jumped into the swirling vortex of the Schism portal and disappeared into the maelstrom of colour and light.

_**Next Time**__: The Doctor and Ionay must battle to prevent the resurrection of an ancient Time Lord foe in __**'The Vengeance of Astaroth'**__._

**The Scarlet Shadow – Confidential**

No prizes for guessing that this was the Doctor-lite story for the season.

I wonder how many readers guessed that this would be the case as they went along, wondering whether the Doctor would appear in the next chapter? Or the next? Or by the time part 10 had come and gone, did people realise?

For this story I went for a traditional fantasy adventure storyline told in the classic 'mythic' structure.

The mythic structure is a fascinating piece of work that started as a book entitled "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" by a writer called Joseph Campbell in the 1980s. The book focuses on the theory that most stories can be boiled down to a series of narrative structures and character archetypes, described through mythological allegory. This was then picked up by a scereenwriter called Christopher Vogler who wrote "A Hero's Journey" and Vogler holds that successful films innately adhere to its principles. The book was very well received upon its release, and is often featured in recommended reading lists for student writers. It is now under the title "The Writer's Journey – Mythic Structure for Writers" and is WELL worth a look in my opinion.

George Lucas has often quoted Campbell in his vision for the 'Star Wars' series (particularly 'A New Hope') and J K Rowling certainly uses it to great effect in the Harry Potter series, but the structure holds true for older films and literature (The Wizard of Oz), and of course myths and legends such as King Arthur and Camelot.

Because 'Doctor Who' has an ongoing episodic nature, it has never really used the mythic structure, so for 'Scarlet Shadow' I followed the structure rigidly to see if I could pulll it off. Certainly, and deliberately, there are homages to both Lucas and Rowling in here, but I hope I haven't been too derisive and entertained readers in an episode which is (kind of) new to Doctor Who.

For casting this story, the main role of Ionay went to newcomer Niamh Perry from '_I'll Do Anything' _who I thought had the most wonderful face and eyes. She also had a fantastic mixture of guts and frailty that I wanted for Ionay. The only other main part was Gavas. For the leader of the Scarlet Brotherhood I chose the amazing Richard O'Brien – why hasn't he appeared in Doctor Who before?

I should also mention my friend James who devised some great background for Ionay, her family and the culture she grew up in. Although I did mangle a lot of what he gave me, and there was much that could never be included due to the speed at which the plot must move, it certainly gave me context and helped me enormously in writing the final version. Thanks James.

But it's back to more familiar Doctor Who themes next time as the Doctor and Ionay must prevent Arcadia falling for a second time……..


End file.
